Memorial Day

Paying tribute to the fallen heroes whose sacrifices paved the way for America’s freedom and who have given their lives to protect this nation and its citizens is important to Southeast Texans as evidenced by the many Memorial Day community celebrations across the area commemorating those brave souls.

It took close to a year of hard work and determination, but with help from local businesses and his fellow scouts of Troop 220, newly promoted Eagle Scout Travis Leblanc of Vidor persevered and on Memorial Day 2016 was ready to dedicate his eternal flame project to the Lions Club Veterans Memorial Park “Fields of Freedom.”

Southeast Texans commemorated Memorial Day 2016 during numerous events throughout the area, celebrating fallen heroes who laid down their lives in service of the United States of America.

In Beaumont, Forest Lawn Funeral Home held its annual ceremony Monday, May 30, beginning in the chapel and continuing into the cemetery where ceremonial wreaths were placed at the veterans’ memorial wall in memory of the fallen and the missing.

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steven McCraw issued a statement May 27 in honor of Memorial Day and the troops who have served and died for the protection of the United States of America.

Detectives have released the name of two suspects involved in the Memorial Day weekend shootings at Magnolia Park.

Michael Jason Green, 34, of Beaumont is in the county jail facing two counts of capital murder and one count of aggravated assault. Each capital murder charge carries a $5 million bond and the aggravated assault charge carries a $100,000 bond.

A boating accident on the Angelina River that took two lives over the Memorial Day weekend was one of many boating-related fatalities over a three-day span.

“Texas game wardens investigated seven drowning deaths and another four boating-related fatalities over what proved to be one of the state’s deadliest Memorial Day weekends,” says Mike Cox with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

While we harbor no disrespect for the Wall Street Journal who called us “that scrappy little paper from Southeast Texas,” we prefer to think of ourselves as simple seekers of the truth. We’re of the opinion that headlines and sound bites never tell the whole story. Our readers demand all the facts, facets and flavors of every story or event. And, they expect to be informed, educated and stirred to action.